Are you considering allowing your children to raise chicks? Letting children raise chickens is an excellent learning opportunity for them! It can be a lot of hard work, but it’s also an amazingly rewarding experience for them and you.
This guide explains the benefits of kids raising chicks and what you need to know before getting started. Also, we share some great tips for raising chickens!
The Benefits of Raising Chickens
What will kids get out of raising chickens? There are several benefits to letting your kids raise chicks. For one, caring for animals instills some great values. Children caring for animals teaches them to work hard and to be empathetic. They can also learn where their food comes from.
Your kids will learn all about being responsible while raising chicks. They’ll learn all about the food chain and gather their fresh eggs! Also, they’ll become knowledgeable about waste reduction and composting.
Learning Responsibility
Responsibility is one of the big life lessons children need to learn while growing up. Allowing your kids to care for chicks is a great way to install this lesson!
They can feel accomplished completing tasks like feeding the chickens, collecting eggs, caring for the baby chicks, and cleaning the chicken coop. Caring for chickens gives children a great sense of responsibility and teaches them that hard work pays off.
Things to Consider Before Raising Chicks
You need to consider a few things before running out and purchasing some cute baby chicks. The following sections cover some important things to know and think about before you get started raising chicks.
Check Your Local Ordinances
Keeping chickens is illegal in many places. Check your local laws and ordinances before buying chicks or setting up a coop. It is also a good idea to check with your neighbors and make sure keeping chickens will not disturb anyone.
Fortunately, many places do allow backyard chickens. Keeping chickens in the backyard is a growing trend, and many towns and cities are now allowing it.
Time Commitment
Taking care of any animal is a large time commitment. You must have enough time to feed, maintain the coop, and perhaps veterinary care. It can take a lot of time and effort to care for chickens.
Chicken does take less time than many other animals. Typically, you must set aside at least 1 hour per day to care for the chickens, perhaps more on the weekend for coop maintenance.
Also, it is best to leave your chickens alone for up to three days, and you should have someone watch them if you need to go on a trip.
How to Get Started Raising Chickens
Are you and your kids ready to start raising chicks? The following sections lay out everything you need to know to get started.
How to Feed Chickens
Chickens need to have a healthy, balanced diet at every stage of their life. Baby chicks only need a good starter feed. Getting feed made for chicks is important, as they have different nutritional needs than older chickens. Look for a chick starter feed with between 15% and 20% protein.
An adult chicken will need good quality chicken feed. You can also feed chicken table scraps. Chickens can eat grains like rice, wheat, and oatmeal. They can eat most fruits and vegetables, too. Leafy greens are a great addition to their diet.
Avoid feeding chicken things that are not good for them. Some examples are raw potatoes, chocolate, onion, garlic, citrus fruits, or raw meat. Before adding something to your chickens’ diet, consult a vet if you are unsure.
Start With Chicks
Should you start with adult chickens or baby chicks? Starting with chicks is a good idea, especially when letting kids raise them. Children love baby chicks due to their adorable appearance and soft fluff, but that’s not the only reason to shoot chicks.
Baby chicks are more accessible for children to handle. Also, kids can bond with them as they grow. Children will learn a lot by watching the chickens change as they grow. Purchasing chicks is more affordable than older chickens, as well.
Training the Chickens
Training chickens can be a lot of fun! They can easily be trained with food or treats. Chickens can be trained to come when they are called. They can also be taught to go into their coop at night and can even learn to perform simple tricks. You can use a clicker, calls, or whistles to train chickens.
Your children will love training the chickens to come when they are called and other tricks. Training chickens is a fun activity for the whole family.
Maintaining Chickens
Caring for and maintaining chickens and their coop is an essential lesson for children. Chickens need a safe and comfortable coop. It is important to keep the chicken coop clean. The coop should be cleaned out regularly, typically at least once a week.
The chickens should be given fresh food and their water changed daily. They must be let out of the coop every morning. In the evening, they should be returned to the coop to protect them from predators.
Eggs should be collected twice every day. Caring for the chickens and performing these daily tasks teaches them essential life skills.
Introducing Your Kids to Raising Chicken
Raising chickens is an incredibly enriching experience for kids to have. There are many benefits to children raising chicks. They’ll learn responsibility, empathy, and the value of delayed gratification.
Your kids will learn the value of hard work and consistency. They’ll learn about waste reduction, composting, and where their food comes from.
They’ll bond with their chickens and learn all about the life cycle of a chicken. As a bonus, the whole family can have fresh eggs every day.
Raising chickens is a fun and rewarding experience for the whole family. Learn more about how to get started raising chickens when you read this book on Amazon!
Here’s how to teach your kids valuable cooking skills.
